Always
by Hikaru Morinaga
Summary: Heero turned to follow her but Zechs put a hand on his shoulder and stopped him. "Do me a favour, Heero." A brother gives his blessing in a way only a brother could. Gift-fic. One shot.


**Always**

"I'm not one for parties."

Relena felt the limo ease to a stop in front of a rather lavish looking mansion and peered out the tinted window. High hedges lined the perimeter of the property, giving privacy once one passed through the iron wrought gate. Privacy, just what Relena wanted. Lined along the pavement were all sorts of news reporters. This was supposed to be the most high profile party this year after all, held by one of the top ministers in ESUN; the reporters, however, were mostly there for her.

"I can't say I'm exactly thrilled to be here either," Relena said.

"You didn't have to go," Heero reasoned. "You could have said you weren't well."

Relena smiled softly. "That would be dishonest of me. Besides, this party is celebrating an important milestone—it would look bad if I wasn't there."

The driver opened her door and she stepped out into the cool autumn air that whistled through the trees, tousled her long hair. She straightened out the skirt of her dress and heard the safety of a handgun click off.

"Do you really think someone would be waiting for me here of all places?"

Heero looked nonchalant as he reholstered the gun under his suit jacket. "You just never know. That's why I'm here."

Relena shook her head. Heero was all business and no fun whenever she took him anywhere. For once she wished he would come as her date instead of as her bodyguard. Damn what the media thought.

They walked in silence to the entrance of the gate, which was opened upon verifying that yes, she was indeed Relena Darlian, and yes, her name was on the list, right near the top; they entered the actual grounds of the mansion, bathed in a mix of moonlight and lamplight, and entered the mansion proper, which was filled with various politicians and their guests, as well as some other very important people Relena didn't recognize by name. There were waiters walking around carrying trays of appetizers, dressed to the nines, of course. Relena felt underdressed.

"Are you sure this wasn't a white tie affair?" Heero murmured, his eyes scanning the crowd for any potential threats.

Relena suddenly wasn't so sure. "It said on the invitation to dress formal."

"So what do we do here? Stand around until someone notices us?"

From the corner of her eye, Relena saw someone who looked vaguely familiar leave for the balcony, probably for fresh air—it was a little stuffy in here.

_That looked like Zechs… But what would he be doing here?_

Relena made her way over to the balcony, Heero not far from her. He was reaching into his suit jacket when Relena placed her hand over his.

"Relax, Heero," she said. They came to the mouth of the balcony where there was a beautiful view of a rose garden and a calming breeze. Leaning against the railing with a glass of half-finished wine next to his elbow was a man whose hair was a lighter shade than hers, yet just as long. "Wait here."

Heero nodded once and leaned against the doors to the balcony, arms crossed over his chest, discouraging any small talk. Heero was still not a very social person.

"Hello, brother," Relena said, as she stood next to him now.

Zechs was pulled from his reverie—consisting really about nothing except how Treize would have loved this expansive rose garden—and rested his gaze on the Vice Minister.

"It's been a while, Relena."

Relena places a stray stand of hair behind her ear. "It has," she agreed. "The last time we saw each other was at your wedding." She smiled softly at the memory, not just because it was her brother's wedding, but because her boyfriend of two years finally proposed.

"How have you been?" He swirled the wine in his glass, admiring the colour it turned in the moonlight.

Relena toyed with her ring. "Quite busy. I've had all sorts of meetings and parties and press conferences to the point where Heero and I are sick of them."

Zechs chuckled. "Why don't you and Heero go away on a vacation for a while then? Take a break from all the flashbulb photography and impromptu camera interviews… Fly away to the Colonies."

"I would," Relena said, looking at her shoes, "but everything would just be waiting for me when I came back."

"Then don't."

Relena looked at Zechs like he was crazy. "That would be irresponsible of me."

"Not if you stepped down and let someone else handle it. You could join Preventers if you still wanted to save the world."

"But then Heero… He's only here because he was hired as my bodyguard. If I was suddenly not the Vice Minister…"

"Relena," Zechs said softly, "Heero would follow you to the ends of the universe, Vice Minister or no. He'd join with you."

"Like you did with Noin?" Relena had a coy smile on her face then. She caught her brother's hesitation.

"In part—yes."

"So I am to assume that everything is all right?"

"With what?" Zechs was caught off guard. "With Noin and I?"

"Well, I meant with the Preventers since I haven't heard much from them recently, but also with you and Noin, yes."

Zechs took a sip from his wine glass. The wine tasted a little too sweet for his tastes, and it was probably some really expensive, imported wine too.

"It's Christmastime and people still can't accept the fact that others want to enjoy the peace with their families. Une says that it's going to be our busiest year yet."

"It's because they're afraid." Relena was staring out into the garden, admiring the view. "The ones who are afraid of peace are the soldiers who can't do anything else. The ex-mobile suit pilots who were trained for little else."

"People like Heero," Zechs simplified.

"People like Heero," Relena agreed.

The music playing softly from the small orchestra band wafted out onto the balcony.

"So, brother… I have been wondering this for quite some time now."

Zechs gave her his full attention. "What is it?"

"What do they call you now?"

He looked understandably confused. "What they call me?"

"Well, do you still go by Zechs Merquise or is Milliardo Peacecraft alive and well once more? Or have you made another name for yourself?"

Zechs rested his back against the railing now, away from the majestic view.

"Did you think I would take back a name that you once said didn't suit me very well? A name that you also said wasn't yours, either? Part of that is probably my fault…"

Relena raised an eyebrow. "Your fault?

Zechs looked to the stars then, watched them twinkle like diamonds in a vast, dark sea. "I always wondered if you would have taken the name back had I not pushed you into picking up where our family left off, not even knowing or caring if that was what you wanted. The same reason I disowned it in the first place."

Relena shrugged. "For a time I did use it, mostly because I was told people would take me seriously, and you said it suited my ideals more than it suited yours. But I never took it as my own, and I'll tell you why."

Zechs looked back to her and then sipped at the too-sweet wine. "Enlighten me then, Relena."

"All my life I was raised as the daughter of Vice Foreign Minister Darlian and his wife, not as the daughter of the Royal family of Cinq. Darlian carries more weight to me than Peacecraft does. That's why I kept it."

Zechs folded his arms over his chest. "Then you can relate to why I decided to not go back to my original name, either. For all intents and purposes, Milliardo Peacecraft died in the fire that burned down our kingdom. I knew I couldn't live up to our family's ideals, so I thought it would be better to just choose another name. I could carve my own future that way."

Relena watched some of the guests dance on the ballroom floor as she collected her thoughts. This was the first time in a while that she had seen her brother, let alone actually carried on a conversation that didn't consist of, "Hello," and "Oh, I'm needed elsewhere, excuse me."

"Zechs?"

"Hmm?"

"Have you… Will you—even though you haven't taken back your real name—take me back as your sister?"

Zechs's gaze softened and he smiled. "I never once disowned you, Relena. You were always my sister, regardless of our names. I always made sure you were safe, even during Operation Meteor when we were on opposite sides."

Relena smiled.

"I see you have a ring on your finger," Zechs remarked as he slid and arm around his sister's shoulder.

"Ah, y-yes," Relena said, flushing pink. "I was going to tell you… What do you think about Heero?"

Zechs quirked an eyebrow and looked to the doorway of the balcony, where one Heero Yuy stood with his back to them, surveying the place for any potential danger.

"He is very…dedicated," Zechs said at last. "And though he is a soldier, he still wants nothing more han total peace." And then he added, "Why are you asking?"

Relena coughed into her gloved hand and whispered, "Because he is the one who gave me the ring."

"Ah," said Zechs. "He is the boy who's stolen my sister's heart…" He looked to her once more. "So the rumours on the television were true, I take it?"

Relena nodded. "Don't tell them that," she joked. "Anyway, I was wondering if it was okay for me to marry him."

"Well, it's not like I can say no to you. You're happy with him, aren't you?"

Relena grinned. "Very happy."

"Well then, I can't see why you can't. I only want you to be happy."

"Thank you for everything, Zechs." She embraced him tightly, not remembering the last time they shared this gesture.

"I'm your brother," he said simply, returning the gesture, "it's my job."

Heero was talking to a well-dressed woman briefly, nodding once before he walked away, towards Relena.

"They're waiting for you to begin your announcement, Vice Minister." He noticed Zechs was still there (though he had to admit he didn't see him leave) and acknowledged him with a nod. Zechs mirrored it.

"It's starting already?" Relena glanced at her watch and sighed before looking to the people waiting. "Looks like business is calling me. Until we meet again, Zechs."

Relena met her press advisor at the door and was led over to the podium towards the centre of the room, all sorts of paparazzi crowding around, wondering what her announcement was. Heero turned to follow her but Zechs put a hand on his shoulder and stopped him.

"Do me a favour, Heero."

Heero turned his head and looked at him. "What is it?"

"Take care of Relena for me."

Heero regarded him for a moment before nodding. "Always."


End file.
